Sunshine Coast Council has released artists impressions of Caloundra’s new creative “heart” which is set to rejuvenate the seaside tourist suburb.

The home of Caloundra Music Festival, will soon also be the birthplace of the suburb’s Community + Creative Hub, a public space connecting the town square through to Bulcock Beach with the existing Caloundra Regional Gallery and The Events Centre to the new Library+.

The final round of community engagement was completed in 2021 and we can now see that vision in pictures.

First look: Artist’s impression looking north across the new Town Square from Bulcock Street.

The design followed extensive input from locals and is inspired by the colours and forms of nature, including fig trees, the Pumicestone Passage, Pacific Ocean, beach life, mountains and the creative community.

Council says residents wanted a space that was green and shaded, and well-suited to events, coming together and celebrating art. It also had to be open and have wonderful visibility and flow, able to improve the way we move and navigate through the town.

Sunshine Coast Council Division 2 Councillor Terry Landsberg said the pictures captured the “City of Beaches” lifestyle, and was designed as a place where arts, community and creativity could alive.

First look: Artist’s impression of a bird’s-eye view looking east along Bulcock Street.

“The Urban Design concept has been amended in response to community feedback and the endorsement of the Sunshine Coast Regional Gallery business case, which means more community and open space between Omrah Ave and Bulcock Street, and further protects existing vegetation in the Caloundra centre,” Cr Landsberg said.

“There are green public spaces within Felicity Park that retain the relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere while offering diverse experiences and community-oriented lifestyle elements that will be enjoyed for years to come.

“The design also provides pedestrian-friendly streetscapes on Omrah and Otranto Avenues, connecting the new town square to the main street.

“It will also continue to attract residents and visitors to the area, thanks to its natural beauty woven through all aspects of the project, including sustainable landscape, patterns and materials.”

First look: Artist’s impression looking north through Felicity Park towards the library.

Cr Landsberg said with Coast being one of the fastest growing areas in Australia, we needed to cater for the growing population, and contribute to the ongoing vitality of Caloundra and its community.

“We are achieving this by planning for our future with the new Hub and delivering infrastructure such as the Library+ and Caloundra Transport Corridor Upgrade that will also help attract business into the town,” Cr Landsberg said. 

“I look forward to watching Caloundra being rejuvenated and to share the milestones with our community.”

The design concepts were guided by the community through a series of pop-up sessions, online surveys and engagement forums.

The major refurbishment of The Events Centre in 2019 was the first major step for the Hub.

Where to from here?

The next big step is the repurposing of the Caloundra administration building into an integrated community facility with a district library and community meeting spaces, creating Library+.

Leading construction company Hutchinson Builders was recently announced as the builder and construction has started, with completion expected in 2025.

The Hub is part of the Caloundra Centre Activation Project, which seeks to revitalise and activate the Caloundra centre area as envisaged by the Caloundra Centre Master Plan, adopted in 2017.

The concept designs will now be progressed by Council into more detailed plans, including staging and sequencing options.

Construction is linked to the completion of the new Library+ facility, and will be dependent upon future Council budget considerations.

View the design on Council’s website by searching Community and creative hub.